Sterling K. Brown and Laura Benanti to Star in ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ Reading, With Eye Toward Broadway Run (EXCLUSIVE)
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Sterling K. Brown could be on his way to Broadway.
The three-time Emmy winner will star in a reading of a new stage production of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” on May 18 in New York City, sources exclusively tell me. Brown will play Randle P. McMurphy, a character famously portrayed by Jack Nicholson in the 1975 movie adaptation of Ken Kesey’s 1962 novel. Sources also tell me that Tony winner Laura Benanti will play Nurse Ratched.
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The team behind the reading have their hopes set on a Broadway run.
The reading is directed by Young Vic artistic director Kwame Kwei-Armah. Scott Delman produces. Delman is also on board as a producer of the “Thelma & Louise” musical, which has been workshopped with Amanda Seyfried and Evan Rachel Wood starring.
“Cuckoo’s Nest” first played the New York stage at the Cort Theatre in 1963 with Kirk Douglas toplining, followed by a 2001 production at the Royal Theatre (now the Bernard B. Jacobs) starring Gary Sinise, which picked up the Tony for best revival.
The 1975 film, directed by Miloš Forman, took home Oscars for best picture, director, actor (Nicholson), actress (Louise Fletcher) and adapted screenplay (Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman). The movie saw similar wins at the Golden Globes and BAFTAs.
Benanti’s Broadway credits include “My Fair Lady,” “Meteor Shower” and “She Loves Me” She won the Tony for featured actress in a musical in 2008 for her work in “Gypsy.” Brown has appeared in Shakespeare in the Park productions of “Twelfth Night” and “Macbeth.” He won an NAACP Theatre Award for his work in the New York and Los Angeles productions of “Father Comes Home From the Wars: Parts 1, 2 & 3.” He also appeared opposite Al Pacino in “The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui.”
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